<p>I've been on here a few times and I decided to take mechanical engineering as a major. However, now I'm not sure whether it's right or wrong because I'm not exactly sure what the title of what I want to do as a career is.</p>
<p>Basically, I think mechanical is correct. I want to work with the mechanics of engines (most likely) of things such as automobiles, air crafts, etc. However, I also want to be able to construct these things. For example, although I know the car industry isn't the best place right now, I would like to be able to build a car by myself, assuming I had the necessary materials to do this. I'm not saying that I want to do it all by myself, but just the idea that I have the knowledge and ability to do something such as know structure and way the machine works is what I want to do.</p>
<p>An analogy would be doctors. In general, doctors know the body inside and out (or at least let's hope all of them do). They know the way the body works on the inside, and they know the physical elements of the body, such as the bones, organs, etc. I want to know the same knowledge, but with (I guess the only word I can think) machines.</p>
<p>Is mechanical engineering the right way to go for this? Or is it a "skilled trade" profession?</p>
<p>Working through certification, if I’m correct. I believe people who go to vocational schools, get some sort of certificate after a year or two, and then start working.</p>
<p>Mechanical engineers design cars rather than build them. Skilled trades people build cars rather than design them.</p>
<p>Many engineers, in the course of designing something, spend time in a lab setting testing out various ways of building things. But the things they build aren’t sold to customers, the things they build are used to validate the design in some manner. </p>
<p>The people that build things that are sold to customers are skilled trade workers. They work everyday building stuff but take instruction from designers who designed something. They don’t get to chose how to build it, they follow instructions that have been developed.</p>
<p>In your case, do you want to build cars to sell to customers or do you want to design cars that will be sold to customers but actually built by somebody else?</p>
<p>Well, wouldn’t the one who designed the car know how to build it as well? It would just end up being the “dirty work” of design, right?</p>
<p>Also, I’m assuming that the designers’ salary is much higher than the skilled trade workers. The fact that I want to know is whether the designer has the ability to do both, but his/her career would be focused on the designing part or vice versa.</p>
<p>Perhaps, if the designer was part of the design for manufacturing team and working on the manufacturing procesess.</p>
<p>But if the designer was working on the anti-lock brake control system, it’d be unlikely they know much about how to build the engine or assemblying a transmission. Likewise, a person working on the thermodynamics of the engine probably won’t know much about the wheels and tire.</p>
<p>There will be a few hands on building positions for the prototypes, concept cars, etc, but most engineers will work at their desk doing design, validation, certification, and supplier management work rather than day to day manufacturing.</p>
<p>My suggestion would be to get the mechanical engineering degree if you have the aptitude for passing the advanced physics, chemistry, and calculus that is part of the curriculum, and then make the 5 years after graduation a project to find the hands on job that you want. They do exist and you do get paid well for that.</p>
<p>How would this “project” go? I’m assuming you mean to receive a mechanical engineering degree, and then if I theoretically didn’t like my job because it wasn’t hands on enough, then I would get some hands on training somewhere after that. The only hands on training I can think of (because I’m not quite familiar with this field, it just interests me) would be some sort of vocational school. Is this what you meant? Also, you said,</p>
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Are there many jobs like this or are they minimal? And when you say well, what would you is a median salary?</p>
<p>Well currently, I’m a freshman going into my sophomore year next fall. I’ve taken calc 1 and I’m currently taking calc 2. I plan to take either physics or chemistry next semester. The point is, I had already planned on taking all of these courses.</p>
<p>My brother-in-law has ME degree and recently got certified as an mechanic because he too loves to work with his hands.</p>
<p>My bestman in my wedding is an ME and he’s worked in smaller companies where he not only has to do the design work but also has to build what he designs, with the help of a couple techs. Mostly he designs servo motors.</p>
<p>Basically, I feel that some of the best engineers take a hands on approach to their work. If you want, you can get yourself stuck behind a desk, but chances are if you are looking to get your hands dirty you will.</p>
<p>These kinds of jobs are probably exactly what I’m looking forward to doing. Do you think it’s easy to get these kinds of jobs? I’m assuming it’s much easier once a ME degree is obtained… I NEVER don’t want to be stuck behind a desk… =</p>
<p>Anyways, how do the people that you mentioned get paid? Location? Also, could you list a some major companies that are involved in this field?</p>
<p>If you don’t care about what exactly you are building I think ME jobs are easy to come by. It’s when you start to specialize and more focused that the search becomes more difficult. </p>
<p>The MEs I know get paid well and are mostly on the West Coast, I’m in a rural area and work with an ME who is very hands on. My brother-in-law is in the LA area and my best man lives in Reno. Major companies? Most large companies need MEs to make the things that make their products as well as to design their products. You name it they’ll need you.</p>
<p>Oh I forgot to ask, do these people that you know hold a Master’s degree? Or did most of them stop after their Bachelor’s? Also, do you happen to know anyone on the East coast…specifically NYC?</p>